• Y Fujii, Y Saitoh, H Tanaka, and H Toyooka.
• Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Tsukuba Institute of Clinical Medicine, Ibaraki, Japan.
• Paediatr Anaesth. 1999 Jan 1;9(6):527-30.

AbstractA history of motion sickness is one of the patient-related factors associated with postoperative emesis. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of granisetron, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist, for preventing postoperative vomiting after tonsillectomy in 120 children with (n = 60) and without (n = 60) a history of motion sickness. Patients received a single dose of granisetron (40 micrograms.kg-1) or placebo (saline) (n = 30 of each) intravenously after an inhalation induction of anaesthesia. A complete response, defined as no vomiting, no retching and no need for another rescue medication, during the first 24 h after anaesthesia was 77% and 13% in patients with a history of motion sickness who had received granisetron or placebo, respectively; the corresponding incidence was 83% and 40% in those without it (P < 0.05; chi 2 test with Yates' continuity correction). No clinically serious adverse effects due to the study drug were observed in any of the groups. In conclusion, prophylactic antiemetic therapy with granisetron is effective for preventing postoperative emesis in children with a history of motion sickness as well as in those without it.

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